Pre-Pregnancy Genetic Testing
This service is purchased on its own.
We are the first private clinic in Ontario to offer couples preconception testing. We use a panel of DNA tests developed by scientists from Stanford and Harvard that has a greater than 99.9% accuracy for the tested mutations. This non-invasive saliva test determines carrier status for more than 100 rare diseases, such as cystic fibrosis, spinal muscular atrophy, sickle cell disease and Tay-Sachs disease. Most diseases are recessive conditions, where a child would only be at risk if both parents are carriers.
Cost: $1,295 (couple), $695 (individual)
Our testing is combined with in-person genetic counselling and includes:
- A family health history review prior to testing
- A detailed report summarizing your child's risk of inheriting more than 100 diseases
- Recommendations for additional genetic tests where appropriate
- Information regarding options for pregnancy planning and ongoing support
Understanding your carrier status for genetic disease gives you options for healthier pregnancy outcomes.
This testing helps identify couples that could benefit from in-vitro fertilization (IVF) using a technique called preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD). This technique can identify embryos that have genetic conditions, prior to implantation, allowing those embryos that are free of genetic mutation to be implanted.
Couples may choose to learn about their genetic risk prior to pregnancy since single gene disorders affect approximately 1 in 280 children and 80% of these diseases occur in children with no known family history. Collectively, these diseases account for approximately 10% of pediatric deaths.
Preconception testing, also known as carrier screening, is well established, with OHIP genetic clinics offering limited screening on a disease-by-disease basis, and only if there is a known family or ethnicity risk. Medcan's Pre-Pregnancy Genetic Testing allows all couples to better understand the genetic risk to their pregnancy, regardless of their family health history.